Page 37 of The Duke's Tempting Bride

“I’d very much enjoy doing more to your body than just touching you through your clothes,” he said softly as he lowered his head and started to make a trail of kisses down her neck. Diana held onto his shoulders, wondering how far she’d let him go since they were not officially married yet. When his tongue started to slip in-between her breasts, she knew that she had to stop him or they’d be completely ruined.

“That’s enough, Fitz,” she panted. “My self-control wavers with every passing second.”

“Perhaps that is my goal, temptress,” Fitz said as he raised his head over hers once more. Their eyes locked as his free hand started to pull up the hem of her dress, exposing her stockings and slippers. She looked at him with wide eyes and a deep blush upon her face as she felt his fingers running up her stockings, the heat in his fingers so strong that she was almost convinced she wasn’t wearing anything underneath her gown at all. And when his fingers started to brush against the inside of her bare thighs, she knew that he was becoming very close to convincing her that they should make love right there in the sitting room with the butler right outside the open door.

“With your permission, I’d lead you to my bedchamber right now and show you just what it feels like to be with a man,” Fitz said, his hand coming to a stop on her bare thigh. A part of her wanted to spread her legs wide open for him now, but she knew that if she let Fitz have his way with her, she might regret it in the morning.

“I think it’s time that you show me to my own bedchamber, Fitz,” Diana said in a pleading voice as she took his hand off her thigh and brought it up to her heart. “We should both get some rest for tomorrow’s early outing.” Fitz lowered his forehead to hers as he began to take several deep breaths.

At first, Diana was worried that she had made him angry as his jaw clenched tightly together. He then wrapped both arms around her and held her close to his chest as he brought her back up a bit against him.

“You’re a very sensible woman, Diana. You have no idea how hard it is to resist you,” Fitz said as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

“I assure you, Fitz, that the feeling is mutual,” she said with a chuckle. After a few more minutes, Fitz helped her off his lap and eventually to her feet. She felt rather dizzy and clung to his arm for a moment as she found her balance.

“Are you feeling alright?” he asked.

“I feel as though I’ve been drinking all night,” Diana admitted.

“Desire has a funny way of affecting one in such a way, as though they are drunk off the feeling of it all,” Fitz explained as he led Diana across the sitting room and back into the light of the candles.

“It makes me wonder how often I will feel like this once we have finally been intimate with one another,” Diana said, her logical mind seeming to come back to life now that the haze of their desire had gone away.

“There is only way to find out,” Fitz said with a chuckle as he led her from the sitting room and to the main staircase of the house. They walked all the way to her bedchamber in silence, simply enjoying being close to one another as they walked through the grand house.

Diana was starting to realize more and more that soon this would be her shared home with Fitz, that every evening they could walk like this together and enjoy a comfortable silence after having an enjoyable day together. She liked the idea very much and even allowed her head to rest on his shoulder as they walked together.

“Here is your bedchamber,” Fitz said as he stopped in front of a door at the end of the west hallway. “And I am just over there if you need anything.”

“And where have my parents been given a room?” Diana asked as she looked at the many doors around them.

“They are a few doors down from your side of the hallway,” Fitz explained.

“I was hoping that after the wedding they could be given a room on the first floor somewhere. I think they would be best off with an area of their own that they didn’t need stairs to get to.”

“It can be arranged for sure,” Fitz said as he finally let go of her. “Sleep well, Diana.”

“As well as you, Fitz,” Diana said softly. She watched him walk all the way to his bedchamber before she turned and went into hers. Several candelabras were in the room, already lit and waiting for her. The room had a nice and welcoming glow as she took the time to look around her. The space was so grand that she could hardly believe it all. A four-poster bed rested upon the far wall, and a sitting area was situated close to the fireplace. There were several dressers and a wardrobe, in addition to a writing desk. Diana could hardly believe that these items were now all hers and she could use them for whatever she deemed necessary.

Having become used to undressing herself, Diana didn’t bother calling for her lady’s maid to help her out of her gown. She took her time, careful not to ruin the wonderful gown. She even hung it up in the wardrobe before dressing into her nightgown and making her way over to the large bed. In all her life, Diana had never slept in such a large bed.

As she got underneath the plush covers and rested her body flat onto the feathered bed and pillows, she felt as though she’d been transported to heaven as all the muscles in her body relaxed. It wasn’t long before she quickly fell asleep.

---